Planned Walks
Details of each walk are published on this website about a month beforehand, sometimes earlier, or email hm.steele@ntlworld.com. Walks are £1 for members, otherwise £2.
Walks during the summer in 2020
April Thursday 16th
Lead has been mined in Swaledale from at least Roman times. The mining had a dramatic effect on the landscape with huge scars from hushing, vast spoil heaps, and the remains of smelt mills, peat stores and ore processing areas. This walk will examine some of the sites of this once large and important industry. The walk, of approximately nine miles, will be on paths, tracks and some rough ground, both in valleys and on exposed moorland. Boots, waterproofs and a packed lunch are essential. Public toilets are available at the start (and end) of the walk.
Mindful of the distance to site, we will be organising car-sharing from Skipton and, if appropriate, other venues. Advanced booking is therefore essential. Departure time from Skipton will be approx 9am. To book a place, or for more information please email: mark@mworonowski.plus.com by 2nd April.
The walk will be led by William Varley.
Click the image to download the walk poster as a PDF.
May Thursday 7th
Clapham Bottoms: early medieval Craven in a nutshell - Clapham Bottoms has a wealth of archaeological remains, some of which date to the Anglo-Saxon period. The walk will be led by Dr David Johnson.
June Thursday 4th
Outgang – Dr Roger Martlew leads a walk around this multi-period landscape near Kilnsey, which he has been surveying with the aid of UWHG members, and will discuss the latest findings and their interpretation.
July Thursday 2nd
How to keep archaeological sites for the future - Linda Smith, YDNP Countryside Archaeological Adviser will guide a walk illustrating how the National Park works with farmers and landowners to preserve the historical environment in the Yorkshire Dales.
August Thursday 6th
Industrial Archaeology of Ilkley Moor – This walk, led by William Varley, will examine the remains of stone quarrying and lime burning on Ilkley Moor.
September Thursday 3rd
St Mary’s Church, Embsay with Eastby – Jane Lunnon will guide us round St. Mary’s churchyard to show us how we can look at gravestones as physical artefacts rather than only as memorial inscriptions for genealogy.